Penn Square Mall

[SomeGuy]

I'd do anything for Williams Sonoma to come back to PSM or even OAK

[oklip955]

I also miss that store. Hope they bring it back at either Penn Square or another location. it might do better closer to memorial rd area or Norman.

[Bowser214]

Great inexpensive cologne dups!

[SomeGuy]

Things Remembered is closing down all their stores (again)

[jn1780]

Things Remembered is closing down all their stores (again)

A lot people selling personalized gifts on Etsy.

[PhiAlpha]

Things Remembered is closing down all their stores (again)

Things Forgotten.

[Boop]

Things Remembered is closing down all their stores (again)

I do not know why they bought it back in the first place, they are expensive and customers can buy it online for much cheaper

[doctorwho]

Did the Vera Bradley store close?

[Edmond Hausfrau]

Did the Vera Bradley store close?

Is Vera Bradley still a thing? I thought they disappeared into the ether, like Crabtree &Evelyn.

[FighttheGoodFight]

Has Williams Sonoma even looked at opening anywhere else? I know Classen Curve has Sur La Table but I'd imagine WS would do great in Edmond/Nichols Hills

[Pete]

^

Not sure, but it would make sense for them to look at OAK.

[SomeGuy]

Vera Bradley closed around the beginning of January. Yankee Candle has also closed down at Penn too

[ChaseDweller]

We were in the mall last weekend and it does not look good. The Microsoft store is now an "Everything's $8.99 store." which is fine, but not for an upscale mall. I had to laugh at the big sign saying they didn't have a changing room, but "feel free to try on over your clothes." LOL. Lots of more local type low end stores going in there like escape rooms mattress stores and massage places. Williams Sonoma is gone, as is Banana Republic. I have to believe that J Crew, Gap and Madewell will vanish once their leases are up. Malls are just a dying concept.

[David]

To quote Pete from another thread:

Note the packed parking lots at Penn Square and Belle isle Station -- pretty strong for late January.

That's a lot of customers for a dying concept.

[Pete]

We were in the mall last weekend and it does not look good. The Microsoft store is now an "Everything's $8.99 store." which is fine, but not for an upscale mall. I had to laugh at the big sign saying they didn't have a changing room, but "feel free to try on over your clothes." LOL. Lots of more local type low end stores going in there like escape rooms mattress stores and massage places. Williams Sonoma is gone, as is Banana Republic. I have to believe that J Crew, Gap and Madewell will vanish once their leases are up. Malls are just a dying concept.

They are in the process of shifting stores around to make room for a greatly expanded Altard States and a new Urban Outfitters.

It will be interesting to see if any of the mall tenants (like Pottery Barn) will make the jump to OAK across the street.

[Bowser214]

Went to PSM 2 Saturday's ago with a friend and it was packed. We drove around looking for a parking space for several minutes. We had lunch there and the food court was very busy. I was really happy to see how busy it was.

[Boop]

Went to PSM 2 Saturday's ago with a friend and it was packed. We drove around looking for a parking space for several minutes. We had lunch there and the food court was very busy. I was really happy to see how busy it was.

If you want to find a parking spot, go arrive in an hour before it opens and you will see empty parking, that is what I do

[Plutonic Panda]

We were in the mall last weekend and it does not look good. The Microsoft store is now an "Everything's $8.99 store." which is fine, but not for an upscale mall. I had to laugh at the big sign saying they didn't have a changing room, but "feel free to try on over your clothes." LOL. Lots of more local type low end stores going in there like escape rooms mattress stores and massage places. Williams Sonoma is gone, as is Banana Republic. I have to believe that J Crew, Gap and Madewell will vanish once their leases are up. Malls are just a dying concept.

Malls are not a dying concept. That is not anywhere close to the case in large cities like LA. They’re doing great. Too many were built and a market correction is in store.

I suspect one OAK and the other potential development Pete spoke of as a possibility is built PS will receive a huge makeover.

[MagzOK]

I'm not sure what the difference is, but Penn Square is always packed yet Quail seems dead. We went to the Frisco Mall in DFW a couple months back and it was jam packed with people.

[Mississippi Blues]

I don’t think every version of something has to disappear overnight for it to be a dying concept. I also don’t think pointing to the most successful versions of a larger trend considered dying negates years of study and research that shows a specific model has lost sustainability as it has existed. If malls are able to reinvent themselves in ways that allow them to remain successful and popular, that’s great as it adds to a healthy city, but that doesn’t change the knowledge that a specific model is no longer sustainable without reworking the concept to adjust to modern trends.

[lady_o]

Penn Square seems to be doing fine imo - it's too crowded if anything. Its located in the perfect spot. Usually hit up LOFT, American Eagle, Dry Goods, and Sephora. Dillards if shopping for my husband. Apple store is fun to browse.

Quail Springs on the other hand is less conveniently located and doesn't have a sufficient number of interesting shops to 'make a day of it'. Malls can be a hassle so I won't go in for just a single store. Similar feelings about the outlet mall not being worth the trip / hassle.

[stlokc]

I don’t think every version of something has to disappear overnight for it to be a dying concept. I also don’t think pointing to the most successful versions of a larger trend considered dying negates years of study and research that shows a specific model has lost sustainability as it has existed. If malls are able to reinvent themselves in ways that allow them to remain successful and popular, that’s great as it adds to a healthy city, but that doesn’t change the knowledge that a specific model is no longer sustainable without reworking the concept to adjust to modern trends.

This quote nails it.

The heyday of the mall, where it served as a destination, even a playground for people, is past. That does not mean that people don't occasionally still go to the mall. Penn Square, as mentioned above, seems to be thriving. In the three cities I am most familiar with, Oklahoma City, St. Louis, and Kansas City, the number of malls have declined in all of them. When I moved to St. Louis, there were 10 malls on the Missouri side of the river. Today there are six.

Trends change, Habits change. Preferences change. 5 years ago I would never have dreamed the degree to which almost all of my family's shopping is done online.

The instructive piece here, though, is that in most of the cities I can think of, the strongest malls are the ones that are considered the most "upscale." When buying a $750-$1000 business suit, most people still want to try it on. When a store is truly a "destination," there is likely to be only one in a town and it will be in the most "upscale" environment. if your store sells run-of-the-mill stuff, and if your mall is full of stores that sell run-of-the-mill stuff, your days as a physical presence are numbered.

[BG918]

This quote nails it.

The heyday of the mall, where it served as a destination, even a playground for people, is past. That does not mean that people don't occasionally still go to the mall. Penn Square, as mentioned above, seems to be thriving. In the three cities I am most familiar with, Oklahoma City, St. Louis, and Kansas City, the number of malls have declined in all of them. When I moved to St. Louis, there were 10 malls on the Missouri side of the river. Today there are six.

Trends change, Habits change. Preferences change. 5 years ago I would never have dreamed the degree to which almost all of my family's shopping is done online.

The instructive piece here, though, is that in most of the cities I can think of, the strongest malls are the ones that are considered the most "upscale." When buying a $750-$1000 business suit, most people still want to try it on. When a store is truly a "destination," there is likely to be only one in a town and it will be in the most "upscale" environment. if your store sells run-of-the-mill stuff, and if your mall is full of stores that sell run-of-the-mill stuff, your days as a physical presence are numbered.

Yep, try going to the Galleria in Houston on a weekend.

[warreng88]

I know I am tardy to the party, but I had Spunkie's Soul Food for the first time today and it was very, very good. To everyone's point, yes it is not cheap, but the food is better than any food of its kind I have had. I got the five meatball plate with yams and mac and cheese and there wasn't a scrap left when I was done. Also, I got a slice of their 7-up cake and couldn't eat it fast enough. The guy I went to lunch with got the fried turkey chop. I didn't even know what that was. He let me try a bite and I wasn't disappointed.

I probably won't be there all the time since it is inside the mall and I have a limited time for lunch, but it was great and I will definitely be back.

[progressiveboy]

They are in the process of shifting stores around to make room for a greatly expanded Altard States and a new Urban Outfitters.

It will be interesting to see if any of the mall tenants (like Pottery Barn) will make the jump to OAK across the street.

Altard States has permanently closed down in PS.